At the very least, we can confirm they know the spells Call/Banish Shub-Niggurath, Summon/Employ Dark Young, and Scarlet Circle.
We’ve received detailed information about the Blessed of Shub-Niggurath.
“Lady Margaret, are all the missing people on the younger side?”
“I suppose so. I don’t believe any had reached the age of adulthood yet.”
Judging by the information from the countess, it seems unlikely that any of them were people who fought for a living. I suppose that would make sense if they were all abducted by the fanatics. This means they aren’t likely to be a threat to us in battle.
“It says ‘an avatar of Shub-Niggurath,’” the twins make note.
“Yes, it certainly does,” I respond.
“There’s no denying that,” says Mr. Alf.
“Does that mean it’s in this game?” Mr. Skelly asks.
I still highly doubt it. But that doesn’t explain how a Blessed One was confirmed to have been spotted in the forest. We don’t have enough information yet, do we?
“Have you learned anything from the fanatics that were captured?” I ask the countess.
“I haven’t heard anything like that, no.”
Then the earl and his wife must be a dead end.
We know that the climax of the event is stopping the summoning of Shub-Niggurath, but nothing more. We’ll have to learn the specifics straight from the fanatics themselves.
“How’d they even learn about Shub-Niggurath in the first place? Is she a famous outer one?” asks Mr. Alf.
“I can’t imagine her coming here to punish people directly. I doubt she shows herself much at all. Perhaps it came from the books?” I speculate.
“The ones the documents are based on? But if they’re so poorly translated, do we really think they got the summoning instructions perfect?” asks Mr. Alf.
“Considering this is an event, it’s hard to imagine them messing up and failing the summoning,” I reply.
“Or did the Dark Young or the Blessed already exist here, and the fanatics came in contact with them first?”
If Mr. Alf is right, does that mean the Dark Young or Blessed came here during a time when the barrier between realms was weakened, and that suspicious group turned into a fanatical cult from an encounter with them?
Did they learn the summoning method from whichever being they came across? A servitor race would definitely know the Call/Banish spell.
“We still don’t know enough, but it does seem to make everything connect. I just don’t know why they would want to help summon Shub-Niggurath.”
“I bet they all have different motives,” Mr. Alf suggests.
“You mean the outer ones and the fanatics are after different things?” I ask.
“Wouldn’t it make more sense that way?”
“We did learn a bit about what the fanatics are aiming for, I suppose.”
We all chat among ourselves while we wait for more progress on the documents.
Information has been shared with you.
Progress has been made in analysis of the fanatics’ documents (Shub-Niggurath).
The Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath.
They are wriggling, tremendous black masses. They stand from 3.6 to 6 meters tall. The Dark Young resemble trees…or at least, it may seem that way to you.
With worm-like appendages sprouting from their heads, they also possess four thicker tentacles attached to their bodies.
Green slime dribbles from the large, wrinkled mouths in the center of those bodies.
They walk on two thick, hoofed tentacles.
During battle, the Dark Young strike and swipe with their tentacles. They may also use their large bodies to charge at enemies. Should a victim be caught by their tentacles and brought up to that dreadful mouth, their only choices are to struggle or scream in vain. Rumor has it that these creatures let out a cry before attempting to trample a victim.
At the very least, we can confirm it knows the spell Call/Banish Shub-Niggurath.
This time, it’s information about the Dark Young.
“Now we’ve learned how two different servitor races will attack,” I summarize.
“Blessed Ones attack like normal people, unless part of their body has been changed to something they can attack with. In that case, we have to watch out. That’s about all, right?” asks Mr. Alf.
“Unlike the hunt during the sports festival, I don’t see this one turning into a battle, do you?” Mr. Skelly suggests.
He’s right. So long as we don’t pick a fight, it shouldn’t break out into combat. At least, I hope.
“There’s still not enough information to know for sure. But that information has to come from the fanatics’ current moves, not the documents,” I explain.
“It’d be great if we could get scouts into the eastern forest. I wonder if it’s possible?” asks Mr. Alf.
“In that case, I’ll ask the union.”
It’s not as if we have anything else to do while we’re deciphering.
I send a message to each party leader throughout the union.
“We haven’t seen anything strange in the forest.”
“It sounds like the shadows disappear as soon as they’re spotted once. No one’s laid eyes on a shadow since the first time.”
“We’re near the mountain, but we’re coming back since we got hit with an awful surprise attack.”
“A surprise attack? From the fanatics?”
“I dunno, but we’ll die if we don’t get out of here!”
“Oh yeah? We should go and check it out.”
The scouting in the east doesn’t seem to be going very well. Maybe the game won’t allow us in before the start of the climax. For now, I’ll share that information with my other party members.
“So there are people trying to scout the area? But they got attacked instead,” Mr. Skelly summarizes.
“We don’t even know who attacked them at the moment,” I explain.
“It could be an outer one, not a fanatic doing it to them,” he replies.
We’re not at a place where we can put the big picture together yet, so thinking about it too much will only be a waste of time.
Information has been shared with you.
A party of resident adventurers witnessed something black and massive in the eastern woods roughly one year and three months ago. However, the other adventurers and residents didn’t believe their story.
“A Dark Young?” I ask.
“Probably. Blessed Ones are supposed to be human-sized, after all,” says Mr. Alf.
“One year and three months ago. I see,” I remark.
We can probably assume that the Dark Young came here the last time the border between realms was weakened, not this time.
“If a Dark Young has been here all along, there’s probably also a Blessed One with it. Perhaps, if the missing people were kidnapped, they’re still alive at this point?” I theorize.
“Wouldn’t that make them future tributes?” asks Mr. Skelly.
Indeed, they’re likely the gifts for Shub-Niggurath. That would make rescuing them a possibility. But if they simply disappeared to somewhere in the spirit world, then there’s no helping them now.
“The Dark Young planned to summon Shub-Niggurath from the start and asked the people they encountered for help. Then those people came up with the idea of holding a summoning ritual?”
This would fit with Mr. Alf’s theory that the Dark Young was here all along. The fanatics wouldn’t need to know the exact ritual at all—they’re merely a third party there to assist. Once the ritual is complete, they’ll learn how to do it themselves.
“Nothing the fanatics do makes a lot of sense. Why bother with the ritual when they know the outer ones are a threat?” asks Mr. Alf.
“Being used as a pawn by an unsympathetic being would upset most people,” I add.
“I guess not caring about that stuff is what makes them ‘fanatics,’” he speculates.
“We could let them do as they please if they were only going to destroy themselves. But their plan is likely to harm innocent bystanders too,” I say.
“That’s the trouble!” the twins chime in.
If they’re going to die either way, I just wish they wouldn’t get anyone else killed. Well, I don’t really care to understand the fanatics’ logic either way. They’re just NPCs for the event, after all.
Information has been shared with you.
Progress has been made in analysis of the fanatics’ documents (Shub-Niggurath).
Scarlet Circle
A magic spell and blood come together to tear apart the fabric of space, creating a Scarlet Gate.
The gate may be traversed. It also allows for summoning,
To activate Scarlet Circle, gather a group, stand in a ring, and begin to chant the spell. Once the blood of the sacrifice has been spilled, a circle of scarlet will appear. This is the gate.
The size and duration of the gate depends on how many Blessed are gathered there.
A fixed amount of blood is required. It can be drawn from one large creature or from multiple smaller animals. In a pinch, the Blessed of Shub-Niggurath themselves may be sacrificed.
This is the spell the Blessed of Shub-Niggurath know.
“What’s this?” asks Mr. Skelly.
“Are we going to have to use this?” Mr. Alf follows up.
This spell is the type that opens a gate with a sacrifice—or, more accurately, with the sacrifice’s blood as a catalyst. As an artifact, the Silver Key possess the same extraordinary power.
So these “gifts” aren’t to remake people into Blessed, nor are they offerings to Shub-Niggurath. They’re materials required to activate the spell. They don’t have to be humans either, if the gate can be opened with small animals instead. I wouldn’t expect summoners to choose their own species as gifts, but these are fanatics, after all. It’s wrong to expect standard logic from them. Being a “fanatic” means you jump right over lines that aren’t meant to be crossed.
“At this rate, we should be able to finish our deciphering. Perhaps we should gather our information and come up with a basic plan for now,” I suggest.
“Agreed. That way, we can change plans if new information comes in,” says Mr. Skelly.
“What’s the worst-case scenario we can think of for now?” asks Mr. Alf.
Our plan should start with the answer to that question.
“The worst that can happen is the fanatics messing up Shub-Niggurath’s summoning in a negative way. Lady Margaret, which gate in this town leads toward the royal capital?” I ask the countess.